By Saint Demetrios Mom
This online op-ed will be anonymous, like every other opinion written by a parent regarding their child’s school. Perhaps I want to remain anonymous because there might be retaliation. I was stunned by how many reporters reached out but didn’t want to touch the controversy for fear of retaliation. Has society become that combative? I chose Helleniscope because it likes to present both views if you agree or disagree.
Well, the parents received a delayed but much-needed letter of apology for the visit of Stefanos Kasselakis, the head of the SYRIZA Party. Sincerity will always be questioned. Maybe this was a victory for the parents that their voices were strong and were heard. Possibly, this might bring some comfort that our checkbooks eventually bring some common sense to the volunteer powers that be.
Conversations, emails, and text messages of anger were zig-zagging amongst parents and school officials. For many reasons: A politician entering the school with an unknown agenda, parading within a Christian school with his homosexual partner, and the entourage with its never-ending media spin. The anger stemmed from heated politics and the possibility of a WOKE agenda entering the school. Parents of St. Demetrios screamed OXI!
The anger is not a question of humanity, which is a given due to the mere nature of families sending their children to a Christian-based academic institution. The question is the circle of trust. Where did it collapse, or was this whole event just a mere selfish photo op? All the social and print media blitz. The non-stop interviews with Kasselakis’s entourage were too much to bear. A complete circus show. St. Demetrios School did not deserve that.
How did St. Demetrios School benefit? Was a donation made? Why was St. Demetrios School chosen as a backdrop? For a politician to visit a book fair, a gym, and a renovated science lab? Come on, that sounds absurd. That can be done after 3 p.m.
The apology letter dedicated a paragraph defining the SYRIZA party. Why take the time to define a political party in a letter of regret to parents? Complete ignorance. News flash: St. Demetrios is nonpolitical.
Let’s pray and hope that our religious leaders wake up and understand Christianity and never put the school in a negative spotlight again.
St. Demetrios School was founded in 1956, as a private Greek Orthodox Christian coeducational, day school committed to academic excellence and its Greek heritage. Today, the school has expanded with a wonderfully diverse and dedicated parent body and teachers. The school’s foundation is Hellenism, but also fully encompasses others. St. Demetrios’ mission is to cultivate young people of moral excellence and strong character, instill intellectual inquiry, and prepare young people to become responsible, productive, and courageous leaders and citizens.
We can hope this lesson serves the St. Demetrios Parish Council, the School Board, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and the Greek Educational Department at the Archdiocese well. Parents will not tolerate any lack of transparency, and the students of St. Demetrios come first!
The parents, students, and teachers of St. Demetrios deserve much-needed applause. OXI to nonsense! Education comes first.
Respectfully,
St. Demetrios Mom
BRAVO to St. Demetrios Mom!
It’s excellent y’all making noise so the outrage gets heard over at Archdiocese
where the pansies Elpi installed are getting rattled
They push this stuff on purpose knowing full -well they will always be “pushing” what amounts to 1% of their “version” of American-Greek Values, while purposefully ignoring the 99%’s values of decency and wanting normalcy for their offspring. Was bringing this couple in “normal?”
“We are NOT living in the dark ages, but as devout Orthodox Christians, we ARE year ONE!” ☦️
Team Jesus…..❤️
Bravo to all the parents who are fighting a Golgotha as they try to raise their children in this twisted secular world. Remember, when it comes to our Orthodoxy, fight for what’s right and call out evil at every turn! Your children’s future depends on it. Never act lukewarm and give in, and never feel embarrassed to say, this is not ok, get behind me Satan!!!!
Shame to the future politicians who are parading or parodying for their self serving ambitions. Remember to vote against these small antichrists who think they have our vote bc modernity dictates they are the popular ones.
As for the AB and the EP… shame, shame, shame!
They will constantly be pushing, never getting tired of it. WE, therefore, must ALWAYS puch back, and HARDER, never tiring of doing that either, until we die. Otherwise we will lose the war to attrition.
Congrats! Parents voices heard loud and clear!
Time to say a permanent OXI to any aspiring politicians that facilitated this nonsense, too…
Time to say a permanent OXI to heretics, heathens, pagans that may have Greek names, but actually have nothing to do with Orthodoxy, (some even hate it), but who gladly deceive pious citizens in order to achieve their vile personal, political and business objectives. They should do us all a favor and stay away from Church buildings and Church-affiliated Schools…”the exit door is open and the dogs are tied”, as they say in the village…
Time to say a permanent OXI to filth and corruption, both in political and Church leadership.
Gay Nazis at it again —
remember how they lied back in 2015 when they got legal gay marriage?
They said they wouldn’t bother to schools or churches, they just want financial legal rights with partners, but they already had that with Civil Partnerships!
Sexual Deviants just want to contaminate every corner of planet.
Excellent! Great! The parental voice is finally heard. There is an individual called “The Superintendent” that was sent by the Archbishop; he should go who has no experience in education including several school board members. I just found out a police officer is the chair of the school board. When was it the last time priests visit the classrooms to speak to the students. They both popped up for a photo opportunity.
There is no connection between the church and school. Orthodoxy? What’s that. I pulled my child from Saint John’s Prep for better not for worst.
At one time the priests did religion in the classrooms. Now no priests come in to the buildings.
The more people lead with their WALLET, and stop funding this stuff, including removing a child from this school (they’ll live – find another school), the more the message will be sent. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America is heading toward being the lone Orthodox jurisdiction in communion with itself. The other jurisdictions are getting sick of the propaganda coming from GOARCH; whether it’s the Ukraine schism facilitated by the Ecumenical Patriarch, or the woke and particularly gay agenda coming from
Elpidophoros, Inc. I was born and raised GO but I’ve attended Antiochian parishes for nearly 30 years and I do not miss the GOA. Stop funding this nonsense!